Moses Mendelssohn’s Living Script

Description

Moses Mendelssohn (1729–1786) is often described as the founder of modern Jewish thought and as a leading philosopher of the late Enlightenment. One of Mendelssohn's main concerns was how to conceive of the relationship between Judaism, philosophy, and the civic life of a modern state. Elias Sacks explores Mendelssohn's landmark account of Jewish practice--Judaism's "living script," to use his famous phrase--to present a broader reading of Mendelssohn's writings and extend inquiry into conversations about modernity and religion. By studying Mendelssohn's thought in these dimensions, Sacks suggests that he shows a deep concern with history. Sacks affords a view of a foundational moment in Jewish modernity and forwards new ways of thinking about ritual practice, the development of traditions, and the role of religion in society.

Author Bio

Elias Sacks is Assistant Professor of Religious Studies and Jewish Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Reviews

“Elias Sacks's suggestion that Mendelssohn is philosophically motivated by the threat of historical consciousness to traditional Judaism is novel. A fresh, important, and exciting argument for the continued relevance of this founder of modern Jewish thought.”
— Paul E. Nahme, Brown University

“Scholars will take issue with this or that in Sacks's arguments, but they will not be able to ignore his work. It forces a rethinking of Mendelssohn's thought at a time when attention is again being focused on this Jewish thinker. Sacks's middle ground onMendelssohn's traditionalism or radicalism seems to me a persuasive one and will, I believe, win broad, if not complete acceptance.”
— Michael A. Meyer, author of Judaism within Modernity

“Overall, Moses Mendelssohn’s Living Script represents an exciting revival of sophisticated scholarly interest in the ‘‘German Socrates’’’ philosophical-theological contributions. . . . The book is a must-read for students of Judaism, German intellectual history, and the hermeneutic tradition, and it may be hoped that more of its kind will follow.”
— Toronto Journal of Theology

“Highly recommended.”
— Choice

“Sacks has written an accessible book that will help students who read Jerusalem to better understand Mendelssohn's intellectual methods and objectives as well as his contributions to the development of modern religious forms of Judaism. Mendelssohn's Living Script is also an important book that makes a valuable contribution to debates that will continue to engage the next generation of scholars of Mendelssohn.”
— Reading Religion